The Toronto Fringe Festival was a resounding success in 2025. The 37th Annual Toronto Fringe Festival, which just wrapped up on July 13, saw a whopping 48,655 tickets issued, and resulted in over $577,500 in revenue that was returned to the festival artists.
It’s the biggest surplus in Fringe history.
“The Festival increased in size by 25% this year, but we are thrilled to say that our audience not only grew to match but outpaced the reach of last year’s record-setting festival, seeing incredible engagement and hitting 62% of average house sales capacity!” said Rachel Kennedy, Executive Director and Co-Lead in a statement.
“Artists are taking home more than half a million dollars, and many have sold out their first shows as
professional creators. We could not be more proud of the Fringe staff, volunteers, and artists for this incredible accomplishment and continuing to break boundaries — no easy feat in 2025.”
Another milestone was hit by the Tip the Fringe donation initiative, which raised more than $48,000 over the Festival’s 12 day run, and broke the record set just last yeat.
The 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival was run by over 100 paid staff members and 300 enthusiastic volunteers, featuring 106 shows on 22 stages.
Toronto Fringe Awards
On July 11, 19 festival awards and Patrons’ Picks were presented to a variety of artists who came from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Trinidad & Tobago. The awards were presented in a ceremony in the Kevin & Roger Garland Cabaret at Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto, hosted by Toronto Fringe Co-Leads Rachel Kennedy and Laura Paduch.
Milk Milk Lemonade; Iris (says goodbye); and My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis That Led to His Ultimate Demise took home two awards each.
The 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival Award Recipients are:
Volunteers’ Choice Award (It’s A Tie!)
- ALPHA by Naparima College Drama Club
- The Ensemble by Perchance Productions
The Second City Award for Best Comedy
- Milk Milk Lemonade by Mallowmarsh
Canadian Green Alliance’s Greenest in Fringe Award
- My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis that Led to His Ultimate Demise by The Lost Scribe Collective
What The Festival! Strange Maker Award
- Milk Milk Lemonade by Mallowmarsh
Spirit of the Fringe Award
- Lucian, Plato and the Secrets of the Pussy by bound productions
TO Live Best of Fringe
- David Lynch’s Seinfeld by Goop2 Productions
- Iris (says goodbye) by Mixtape Projects
- My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis That Led to His Ultimate Demise by The
- Lost Scribe Collective
- Playground by Catchy Tune
- Things My Dad Kept by Mom & Pop Productions
North(519) Best of Fringe presented by Theatre Orangeville
- Apothecary by Pitchin’in Productions
- The Iron Mask by Breakaway Entertainment
- Me and You and the Highland Coo by Happy as a Clam Productions
PATRONS’ PICKS
- Soulpepper’s Michael Young Theatre: Iris (says goodbye) by Mixtape Projects
- Soulpepper’s Tank House Theatre: Lulu by The Walking Griot
- Soulpepper’s RBC Studio: Galen’s Grocer by Galen’s Grocer
- Soulpepper’s TD Studio: A Sexy Pigeon Show by The Lighter Touch Art Collective
- KidsFest at Soulpepper’s Garland Cabaret: The Velveteen Rabbit by Rule of Three
- Tarragon Extraspace: Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World by Duane Forrest
- Tarragon Solo Room: Hoody by Hoody Ink
- Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse: Sweet & Sultry Burlesque by S&S Productions
- Alliance for Canadian Musicals — Theatre Passe Muraille: People Suck: a musical airing of grievances by Acoustic Helicopter Productions
- Native Earth’s Aki Studio: Adam Bailey: My Three Deaths by Still Your Friend
- Alumnae Theatre: Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl by Rebecca Perry Productions
- VideoCabaret — Deanne Taylor Theatre: Jimmy Hogg: The Potato King by Jimmy Hogg
Repeat Performances
If you missed them at Fringe, you’ll have a chance to catch repeat performances at TO Live Best of Fringe from July 18 to 20 at the Meridian Arts Centre. There’s also North(519) Best of Fringe by Theatre Orangeville from August 8 to 10.
- Tickets to TO Live Best of the Fringe 2025 are $25; more info [HERE].
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